Lab-Grown Food Getting Closer To Production

Eating food that’s been grown in a laboratory might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s getting ever closer to becoming a reality.

Lab-Grown Food Getting Closer To Production, Eating food that’s been grown in a laboratory might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s getting ever closer to becoming a reality, The idea of eating food that’s been grown in a laboratory might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s getting ever closer to becoming a reality that enters mass production.

Writing for the Guardian, George Monbiot explained what he saw when he visited the lab of Solar Foods on the outskirts of Helsinki in Finland recently. He described seeing water turned into food, using a process that grows bacteria, using hydrogen extracted from water as its energy source.

He explained that the froth that’s siphoned out of the metal tank where the water and bacteria are churned up is then applied to heated rollers which turn it into “a rich yellow flour”. But this is far from the only product that such a lab can create.

“When the bacteria are modified they will create the specific proteins needed for lab-grown meat, milk and eggs. Other tweaks will produce lauric acid – goodbye palm oil – and long-chain omega 3 fatty acids – hello lab-grown fish,” Mr Monbiot revealed.

He also pointed out that the hydrogen pathway being used by Solar Foods in its production process is approximately ten times as efficient as photosynthesis.

A further advantage to embracing lab-grown food is that it takes up much less land to produce far more food than current methods of food production. This means that it could be possible to feed everyone on the planet while using a fraction of the land for food production, as well as less water than required by agriculture.

The BBC pointed out that one area where the food produced by Solar Foods could have a big impact is on soya production.

It revealed that the company expects to be able to compete with soya production costs by 2030, and possibly as soon as 2025. This could have significant implications for the farming industry – it could be used as an alternative to soya for cattle food, as well as providing the basis for growing cultured meat or fish.

The news provider also pointed out that Solar Foods is just one example of the many projects that are working towards synthesised food.

At the moment, Solar Foods is only running a demonstrator plant, but it intends to scale up soon to be able to produce its protein – named Solein – on a meaningful scale.

Mr Monbiot stressed in his article that it’s essential that this technology is shared with the world if it’s to make a real difference to the planet and to help feed those in greatest need. “If governments regulate this properly, they could break the hegemony of the massive food companies that now control global food commodities,” he asserted.

However, in order to help tackle the climate crisis, it’s essential that these new techniques use low or zero-carbon forms of energy to ensure they have lower carbon footprints than existing food sources, he added.

While the technology is developing rapidly, for now at least the current methods of food production and manufacture will continue. If you’re looking for conveyor belt pu blades for a food manufacturing plant you operate, get in touch with us to find out more about our products and services.

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BEN DUCHESNE

Ben is a time serviced field service engineer in the busy waste and recycling sector, who’s career moved into to managing service teams and beyond. Originally beginning his career with a HGV repair and maintenance apprenticeship with IVECO, from there travelling and working in multiple countries moving towards waste processing shredders.

Ben joined the Hoverdale team in September 2024 seeking to apply his extensive knowledge to a new area. His values and ethics fit perfectly within the Hoverdale ethos.

He is happily married to Kristina, with 4 wonderful young children; 14, 11, 8 and 5. We the children he doesn’t get much spare time. He is a family man, who enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.

DAVID BARTER

David is an experienced leader, with a background covering Operations, eCommerce, Finance, Compliance, HR and IT. His career spans Banking, Retail and Engineering, spending the majority of his career working for ALDI as they grew to become 4th largest supermarket in the UK, including seven years on their UK board as Managing Director of IT and eCommerce.

David joined Hoverdale’s Senior Management Team in 2023 to seek a fresh challenge in a completely different industry sector. He has applied his approach to Process Improvement, Efficiency, Customer Service and Teamwork to great effect during Hoverdale’s sustained growth.

Married to Jane, with three adult sons between them, David volunteers on the board of the Nottingham Playhouse theatre as well as his local rugby and football clubs. Any spare time he spends enjoying walks with their Golden Retriever, Buzz, who is also regularly seen in the Hoverdale office.

MATT BEVERLEY

A time served Mechanical engineer Matt’s background includes many high-profile projects within the Automotive Industry: The Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Spyker Le-Mans racing teams, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Airbus A380. This history and knowledge of complex manufacturing and engineering projects have been transferred and further developed into the bulk material handling sector. Matt has work in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and China

He joined the bulk solids and bulk handling industry in 2019 as Managing Director of Hoverdale UK Ltd and subsequently completed a Management buyout in July 2020. The business has grown yearly, increased employment, its customer base, and worldwide reputation, and disrupted the market with groundbreaking innovative technology. Since Matt took over Hoverdale, the company has filed four patents for innovation; one was granted in 2023 for a design to improve bulk handling. The success had been driven by delivering tailored solutions to the waste recycling sectors that keep material flowing out and money flowing in.

Awards Include

  • 2024 – Shapa company of the Year
  • 2024- Shapa Innovation in Technology
  • 2024- MHEA Engineer of the year
  • 2021 – MHEA Innovation of the year
  • 2021- IMechE Innovation award

Current Positions Include.

  • Group Chairman Hoverdale UK Ltd
  • President (MHEA) Material Handling Engineers Association
  • Vice Chairman: IMechE Bulk Material Handling Committee
  • Council Member: (SHAPA) Solids Handling & Particle Association
  • Member: Chartered Management Institute

Matt has been happily married to Julie for 22 years and has 4 children, 3 of which are involved within the Hoverdale group of companies. He is an RFU level 2 qualified coach and referee having been in several head coaching roles at various age groups from under 6’s to adults for his local team Nuneaton RFC. He believes in the core values that rugby teaches of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship and try’s to carry this through in his day to day business activities. He is passionate at brining the next generation of young, diverse engineers into the sector through promotion of apprenticeship scheme and further education routes.